The document discusses a study on the use of blogs within academic libraries. It summarizes the methodology, which involved interviews with librarians who maintain library blogs. The study examined how the blogs are used as tools, the practical aspects of maintaining a blog, and how effective the blogs are. It concludes that library blogs would benefit from a clearer purpose, more administrative support, engaging content, and focus on increasing interaction to build communities within the libraries.

1. Blogs and their place within academic libraries http://first-we-blog.blogspot.com/ by Joanna Romansic

2. The Big Picture There’s no going back According to OCLC's study released in 2007, as much as 90% of us have been using the internet for over four years (De Rosa et al., p. 1-2). It’s Blog! OCLC’s study also stated that 46% of those surveyed worldwide used blogs in 2007, compared to 16% in 2005 (De Rosa et al., p. 1-2). Origin of blogs. How it all began and why they are important to us.

3. Academic Library as the “heart of the university” An academic library Library is becoming less of a physical space and more of an “information universe” "This parallel universe provides us with constant feedback, resources, monitoring, information, connections, education, and interaction. It can be individualized and personalized, and we can interact individually or collectively with it.” (Eisenberg, 2008). Students will go to the library if they see it as a quiet place to study and a community within a community A blog can redefine the library as a community This study looked at how effective blogs were within academic libraries.

4. How Did She Do It, You Ask? (Methodology) One on One interviews with five different academic librarians They were the main contributors to their blogs Took a nonscientific, subjective look at the blogs Sent out list of questions that focused on three areas: The Blog as a Tool The Practicality of Maintaining a Blog in an Academic Library The Evaluation of each blogs’ effectiveness

5. Scope/Limitations The sample size is made up of Two law libraries One medical school library One undergraduate library Because of the small sample size, the study was confined to a simple questionnaire Even though I would have preferred face-to-face interviews, they were done over the phone and by email

6. The Libraries Studied North Carolina State University Library http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/news/libraries Looked at one of their six library blogs. Promotes speaking events at the library, calls for students to participate and creates a positive community through events like “Fabulous Faculty” Series Run by a communications employee.

7. The Libraries Studied University of Chicago’s D’Angelo Law Library http://lib.typepad.com/dangelo/ GWU Medical Center Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library http://www.gwumc.edu/library/blog/client/ They have a playful site mixing medical resources and announcements with calls for art show submissions. Announces events at the library and new databases. Fun and lively tone. For example, there’s a LeBron James post.

8. The Libraries Studied Catholic University Mullen Library News and Events http://www.lib.cua.edu/newsevents/ The postings are very short and there are hardly any photos. Unlike the other blogs, there are little to no current event postings relating what’s going on in the news with library resources Georgetown University Law Library http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/blog/ Includes announcements on new databases and instructional workshops Includes postings on President’s budges. There is a separate feedback blog that is updated infrequently

9. The Blog as a Tool Other types of Web 2.0 used by libraries studied A total of 60% of the libraries use IM or chat for reference. 40% use social networking University of Chicago uses Twitter as a recruitment tool NCSU uses Twitter for library announcements Only one of the five libraries uses social bookmarking through AddThis

10. Blog as a Tool Measure of Interactivity

11. Practicality of Maintaining a Blog 40 % of the libraries have all of the librarians update the blog, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is the blog with them most postings. The blog with the most postings, NCSU, has one person updating the blog.

12. Practicality of Maintaining a Blog Impression of Blog Software All of the librarians were ambivalent about their blog software 2 out of 5 of the libraries use BlogCFC, an open source software. This was not stated as ideal for Georgetown University Law Library’s blogger Said many would prefer TypePad or WordPress More stable features Only University of Chicago uses pay software, Typepad. Said it is not intuitive NCSU, which register the most posts a week, even dislikes their software, Roller and B2Evolution and are looking to switch

13. Evaluation of Blog by Organization There is contrast between blogs’ purposes and what they would like to see improve Also, the blogs receive virtually no comments but only 60% want more interaction

14. Evaluation of Blogs by Organizations None of the libraries effectively evaluate their blogs . Are the blogs priorities in the organizations? Only one of the libraries, NCSU, considers their blog a high priority “ People wanted something,” said Roger Skalbeck of GW’s Law Library More support could = A more effective blog

15. Conclusions: Focused Purpose The blogs are not being evaluated May benefit from surveying students With no comments, they may still be reading the blogs With no comments Only 60% would like to see increased interaction Only one out of 5 of the libraries stated communication as their blog’s purpose Without focus or mission, library blogs are the New Coke of blog world

16. Conclusions: Administrative Support Support must be there to motivate staff NCSU’s blog is priority Maintained as PR tool “building communities for knowledge flow,” “a small cadre of people must be committed to participation” AND there must be evaluation (David Snowden, 2008)

17. Conclusions: More Interesting Content “A spoonful of sugar make the medicine go down”—Mary Poppins Give holiday shopping tips—GU Law Lib. Build on enthusiasm of presidential election to promote new Obama database resource-GU Law Lib. Have quizzes with prizes

18. Conclusions: Look at Most Popular Blogs Web’s most popular blogs are technology related This makes sense, but it also provides a challenge. What about television? What if the only people who watched it, knew how it worked Much smaller audience Make software easier

19. Conclusions: Focus More on Engagement Combine playful blogs, quizzes with information Make it more like interactive television. Blog must be considered outreach as used as a tool to create a community within the library

20. References Breeding, Marshall (April 2008). Automation System Marketplace 2008: Opportunity Out of Turmoil, LibraryJournal.com . Retrieved on March 1, 2009, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6542440.html Carvin, Andy, (May 22, 2006) What Exactly is a Blog, Anyway? Retrieved March 6, 2009, from http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/05/what_exactly_is_a_blog_anyway.html Catholic University Mullen Library, (2009). Library News & Events. Retrieved February 22, 2008, from http://www.lib.cua.edu/newsevents/ D'Angelo Law Library, University of Chicago, (2009). D’Angelo Law Library Blog. Retrieved from March 8, 2009, from http://lib.typepad.com/dangelo/ De Rosa, C., Cantrell, J., Havens, A., Hawk, J., & Jenkins, L. (2007 ). OCLC's Sharing, Privacy and Trust in Our Networked World. A 2007 report to OCLC membership. Retrieved from February 20, 2009 from http://www.oclc.org/reports/sharing/default.htm Eisenberg, Mike (May 2008). "The Parallel Information Universe: What's Out There and What It Means for Libraries," LibraryJournal.com. Retrieved on March 1, 2009, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6551184.html FOX News Channel. (2008, November 10) Sarah Palin Interview. On The Record With Greta Van Sustere. Clip retrieved from http://www.takepart.com/blog/2008/11/11/sarah-palin-says-me-and-my-pjs-are-to-blame/ Georgetown University Law Library, (2009). Due Process: The Georgetown Law Library Blog. Retrieved March 8, 2009, from http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/blog/ GWU Medical Center Library, (2009). Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library. Retrieved March 8, 2009, from http://www.gwumc.edu/library/blog/client/ NCSU Libraries, (2009). NCSU Libraries News. Retrieved from March 8, 2009, from http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/news/libraries Rating Burner, (2009). Rating Burner for Blogs. Retrieved March 8, 2009, from http://www.ratingburner.com/ Snowden, David (July/August 2008). Everything Is Fragmented - Build CoPs for Knowledge Flow. KM World magazine. Retrieved July 25, 2008, from http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/News/News-Analysis/Everything-is-fragmented%E2%80%94Building-CoPs-for-knowledge-flow--49849.aspx Weiner, Sharon Gray, (Spring, 2005). “The History of Academic Libraries in the United States: a Review of the Literature,” Library Philosophy and Practice , 7(2). Retrieved on March 7, 2009 from http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~mbolin/weiner.htm